Players to watch: Mansfield (Texas) 

Last season, Mansfield (Texas) shocked a lot of teams with its blend of youth and talent. As the 2012 season approaches, Mansfield will be one of those teams expected to shine, particularly with multiple key players back from a 11-2 season that included a trip three rounds deep in the Class 5A Division II playoffs.

Standout safety George Baltimore was the subject of an ESPN feature last Tuesday, but as good as Baltimore has been on the field, Mansfield is loaded on both sides of the ball. Here are six other players from the Class of 2013 to keep an eye on throughout the 2012 season:

• OL Austin Davis: Mansfield has several linemen versatile enough to play anywhere on the line but Davis may be the most skilled. At 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, Davis will line up at center but also can play guard effectively. A smart player on and off the field, Davis has verbally committed to Duke.
• RB Kenneth Burks: He may be small in stature, but the numbers don’t lie. Burks rushed for 1,885 yards and 23 touchdowns on 283 carries (6.7 yards per rush) during the 2011 season. At 5-8 and 185 pounds, Burks is built low to the ground, which makes him extremely difficult to tackle.

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